Lesson Objectives

• Learn how to effectively communicate with AI builders like Lovable

• Discover strategies to create education apps that actually solve real problems

• See a live demo of my IEP Implementation web app

• Get ready-to-use prompts for your own AI building projects

Do Now

Before we get started, imagine what you could build if you had a development team that understood education deeply. What would you create first? An IEP tracker? A behavior management system? A parent communication hub? With AI builders like Lovable, you now have that power at your fingertips – but the secret is knowing how to speak their language.

What We’re Working with Today

Today we'll explore how to leverage AI builders like Lovable to create meaningful educational tools that actually work for teachers. I'll share my process for building an IEP Implementation tracking app, and give you the exact prompts and strategies I used to make it happen.

Let's start with a powerful prompt template to help you communicate effectively with Lovable:

Please help me create a strong, detailed prompt for Lovable to build {app name}, a {web app/landing page/mobile app/etc} for {primary purpose}.

The target users are {describe users} who need to {describe main user needs}.

The app should have the following key features:
1. {Feature 1}
2. {Feature 2}
3. {Feature 3}

For the visual design, I'm looking for {design style} with {color scheme}.

Please structure your response as a comprehensive prompt I can copy directly into Lovable, organizing related components together and being specific about functionality without overwhelming the AI with too many separate pages or components at once.

I Do, We Do, You Do

I Do: Here’s What I Created

This week, I made a ton of progress on my IEP Implementation Dashboard that helps special education administrators in California with the CDE-mandated IEP Implementation process.

Tools I used:

• Lovable for the core application building

• Claude and Grok for creating structured prompts

• 21st.dev component library for consistent UI elements

• Midjourney for custom-generated icons and graphics

• Vidu for custom-generated video

Here's a preview of what the dashboard looks like:

What makes this app different from most edtech solutions is that it was built specifically with the workflow of special educators in mind. No more adapting your processes to fit generic software – with the knowledge, skills, and abilities I have developed over the past eight months, I will now always build my own solutions. And you can do the same. The world is your oyster.

We Do: Let’s Build This Together

Follow this step-by-step guide to create your own education app with Lovable:

1. Clarify Your Vision: Before opening Lovable, write down exactly what problem you're solving. For my IEP app, I focused on the pain point of tracking implementation across multiple sites, students, and services.

2. Create a Structured Prompt: Use Claude or Grok to help organize your thoughts. I asked Grok to help me generate a strong prompt to build out the frontend in Lovable. I focused on visually building the pages of the web app first before adding in functionality.

3. Build in Sections: Don't try to create the entire app in one prompt. I first built the main pages that anyone can see, then the student dashboard that logged in verified users can see, then linked to Supabase and added the data reporting features.

4. Leverage Component Libraries: In my prompts to Lovable, I specifically requested components from 21st.dev for consistent design and functionality. This gave the app a polished, professional look without a lot of extra work.

5. Add Your Personal Touch: I created custom icons representing different types of interventions and uploaded them to the app, making it feel more specialized for education rather than generic.

You Do: Your Mini Task for the Week

Now it's your turn! Think about a repetitive task in your classroom that could be streamlined with a simple web app. Use this prompt with Lovable to get started:

I need your help brainstorming and designing a web app for {educational challenge} that I can build with Lovable AI.

Step 1: Help me explore the problem space
- Who are the primary users? (teachers, students, parents, administrators)
- What are their 3 biggest pain points related to {educational challenge}?
- What existing solutions are they using, and why aren't those working well?
- What would a "magic wand" solution look like for them?

Step 2: Core app concept
Based on this analysis, propose a focused web app concept that addresses the most critical needs. Include:
- A clear, descriptive name for the app
- The primary purpose in one sentence
- 3-5 key features that would make this indispensable for educators
- How this app would save time or improve outcomes (with specific metrics if possible)

Step 3: User interface design
Create a detailed outline of the main screens/components:
- Dashboard: What key information should be immediately visible?
- Primary workflow: Step-by-step process for the main user task
- Data visualization: How should progress or results be displayed?
- Sharing/export capabilities: What formats would be most useful for educators?

Step 4: Technical considerations
- What data needs to be stored/tracked?
- Would this benefit from any API integrations?
- Are there any accessibility considerations for diverse educational settings?
- How might this scale from individual classroom use to school-wide implementation?

Please format your response as a comprehensive blueprint I can refine before building with Lovable, focusing on solving real educational problems rather than just creating another generic tool.

Think-Pair-Share

• Think of 3 ideas for educational tools that Lovable could help you build

• Pair up with a colleague to refine your ideas and prompts

• Share your creations with our community of educators and connect with other Edumators who are transforming their classrooms with AI and automation.

Exit Ticket

Looking for a live hands-on course on AI and Automation? Our first cohort is currently in session. Join the AI & Automation for Educators Course Waitlist to be informed about future sessions!

Do you know a parent of a student with special needs that wants to learn how to better advocate for their child? Share our SPED Code Advocacy Guide blog with them!

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